Wahinkto Lodge History

Order of the Arrow

Index:
Order of the Black Arrow
Kunieh Camp Society
Order of the Arrow
  Instructed to build a fire
  Elected to Membership
  OA at Camp Fawcett
  First Brotherhood Members Inducted
  Meaning of "Wahinkto:
  Lodge Totem
First Lodge Patch
Lodge Neckerchief
OA Section Conferences
Two Have Served as Section Chiefs
Lodge Chiefs
Lodge Advisers
Vigil Honor
Founder's Award
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The Order of the Black Arrow

The Order of the Black Arrow was active at Camp Fawcett in 1928.  This was the first Indian group to be organized in the council.  Troop 2, of Brownwood, Texas, who came to summer there in 1928, brought the concept of this organization back to their own troop after summer camp and eventually organized a similar “Tribe of the Black Arrow” in 1930 in the then Pecan Valley Council.

A story appeared in the West Texas Scout News on September 8, 1937, concerning the revival of the Secret Order of the Black Arrow at Camp Fawcett during the summer camp held there in August 8-21, 1937.  Only the best campers were elected to the society and it was one of the highest honors at camp.

The society admitted thirteen Scouts the first week and six the second week.  No reference was made as to when the group was originally started at Camp Fawcett or if it was also part of the program at Camp Louis Farr that same summer.  We know that Willie Masters, a patrol leader in Troop 91, Eagle Pass, was inducted into the Society that summer.  He remembers having a cedar wreath placed over his shoulder during the ceremony.
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Kunieh Camp Society

In 1922, Arthur E. Roberts, Scout Executive and Camp Director of Camp Friedlander of the Cincinnati Area Council, founded the Tribe of Ku-Ni-Eh.  It was founded as a Brotherhood of Honor Campers who exemplified the Scout Oath and Law.  The Ku-Ni-Eh became almost as popular as the Order of the Arrow and was used by many other councils because they felt that the Order of the Arrow wanted too large of a fee to join.  The Tribe of Ku-Ni-Eh was used by the Cincinnati Council until the early 1950’s.  In  1951 their members chose to join forces with the Order of the Arrow and thus became the Ku-Ni-Eh Lodge #462.  It is now Lodge #145, following a merger into the Dan Beard Council.

Brice Draper organized the Kunieh Camp Society during summer camp at Camp Connellee in 1929.   The camp was located on the banks of the North Concho River about sixteen miles northeast of San Angelo.   J. T. Henderson, Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 2, Ralph Logan and John Logan, were tapped out to be  members of the Kunieh Camp Society along with several other Scouts.  Members of the Society were dressed in Indian costume and printed a black diamond on the candidates' foreheads during the tap out ceremony.

Brice Draper, as Camp Director, made a talk to the new candidates about the Society and their responsibilities as honor campers.  Then, Henderson and the other candidates, were required to sleep out overnight apart from the other Scouts of their troop, keep a fire going all night, and meditate.  Upon completion of this task, they washed themselves to purify themselves early the next morning.  They then went back to their troops but were required to remain on silence for the rest of the day.

Upon completion of all the requirements for membership in the Society, a "black diamond" was stamped on their belt by members of the Kunieh Camp Society.   During the early days of Scouting, each Scout has numerous emblems stamped on their belt to signify certain accomplishments while at camp.  The black diamond was one of the highest honors that could be displayed on a Scout’s belt.  The society was active through September 1932.

A group was active in the Heart-O-Texas Council, Waco, and also in the Comanche Trail Council, Brownwood.  In the latter council, the group was organized in 1935 and was active until 1945.

For additional information on the Tribe of Ku-Ni-Eh go to http://usscouts.org/honorsociety/kunieh.asp and look at the story on the tribe by David Eby.


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Order of the Arrow

Charles "Chuck" Taylor, waterfront director at Camp Louis Farr, was named Lodge Chief of the newly organized "Arrow Point Lodge" of the national "Order of the Red Arrow."  The Lodge was organized during summer camp at Camp Louis Farr, June 7-21, 1941.

In visiting with Taylor by phone, he was able to share with this author several things that he remembers happening at camp that summer.  He was seventeen years old at the time, was on the City of San Angelo Swim Team, and Eagle Scout in Troop 6 (1937), and had served as Patrol Leader of the Hyenia Patrol.  He had been selected to be in the Order while serving on the camp staff that summer for his outstanding service to camp and to his troop.

Induction at Camp
                  Louis Farr. Note the Mohawk haircuts!He remembers that the professional staff in camp put on the ceremony and that Paul Ireland used a wand to tap out candidates.  They wore no costumes except their camp uniform.  He was elected as the first lodge chief by the other members.  He indicated that some sort of group already existed prior to that summer.  This was probably the Knish Camp Society.  He also remembers that there were no books to read from; that they created a ceremony for the tap out and induction ceremony.

In visiting with C. A. McDonald, Jr. of San Angelo in 1989, he said that each troop picked out boys for membership according to the number in their troop at camp for membership.  Everything to do with the Order of the Arrow happened only in camp.  There were no other activities held during the year.  The Scouts were tapped out at the campfire on Thursday night.  When they were tapped out a briar wreath was placed around their neck and they remained at the campfire until everyone else left.
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Instructed to Build a Fire

They were told to get a blanket and report back to the flagpole where they were placed on silence and told they would be "dumped off some place in the wilderness."  Each person received two matches and instructed that they would build a fire and keep it going all night.  A leader led them around to the site through the thickest brush they could find.  They were led over logs, through the edge of the river, etc.  He remembers it being a "long night."  Each wore their briar wreath until they got his fire going and then burned the wreath.  They returned to the flag pole the next morning.

The next day they worked at the mess hall, cleaning the camp latrine and other special projects. Most of them got a twig and chewed on the bark all day so that they wouldn't speak.

At the end of the ceremony that night, they received a card and a felt OA Sash with a red arrow stamped on it.  Emmett D. Cox, Council President, and Henry Ragsdale, Council Commissioner, were voted as honorary members of the lodge. James M. Young, who was inducted into the Order of the Arrow in the late 40’s, remembers that they were also required to select an Indian name during their night alone.
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Elected to Membership

Those elected to membership that summer at Camp Louis Farr were: Wilbur McCannon and C. H. Taylor, Scoutmaster, Troop 2, San Angelo; Claude R. Stone, Troop 30, Ballinger; Horace Rees and Joe Ballinger; Scoutmaster Reeves, Troop 59, Fr. Stockton; J. B. Morris, Scoutmaster, Troop 55, Texon; Scoutmaster Mitchell, Troop 50, McCamey; Max Lowry, Ft. Stockton; C. A. McDonald, Scoutmaster, Troop 32, San Angelo; and Startton Beesley, assistant waterfront director.

The author has been unable to find records or newspaper stories about the Order of the Arrow being used at Camp Fawcett during the summer of 1941.  However, those elected to membership into the Order of the Arrow that first summer at Camp Louis Farr were:

Troop 2, San Angelo - Wilbur McCannon and C. H. Taylor, Scoutmaster
Troop 30, Ballinger - Claude R. Stone
Troop 31, McCamey - Scoutmaster Mitchell
Troop 32, San Angelo - C. A. McDonald
Troop 55, Texon - J. B. Morris
Troop 58, Big Lake - Horace Rees and Joe Dougherty
Troop 59, Ft. Stockton - J. F. Reves
Others - Assistant Waterfront Director Stratton Beesley, A. C. Doyal of Brady and Bill Hampton of Ballinger.
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OA at Camp Fawcett

Bob Kamensky jumping out
                from underground at start of campfire at Camp Fawcett.Dr. Sterling Fly, Jr., of Uvalde, believed that the OA was started at Camp Fawcett in 1941, the same time as it was started at Camp Louis Farr.   A story appeared in a newspaper on July 2, 1943, paper unknown, giving an account of a week’s camp completed at Camp Fawcett, June 20 - 27, by Troop 96 of Crystal City and Troop 9096 of Winter Haven.  In the story a mention was made of the Order of the Arrow.  The story was telling about all the various awards that Troop 96 had earned at camp that summer.

The story told of two of their troop members, Bob Fly and Harold Harkey, who were members of the Camp’s Junior Staff, “received the second Degree (Brotherhood) in the Order of the Arrow, the highest camp award” during camp that summer.  This would indicate that the Order was started in 1941, when the two Scouts would have received the “First Degree,“ (Ordeal) as their names were not again mentioned when the story went on to state that three other Scouts in the troop had received the “First Degree” the previous year in 1942.  Scouts Jimmy Mortensen, Bob Baker and Mike Moore were the three Scouts to receive this honor for their work as Patrol Leaders in their troop.
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First Brotherhood Members Inducted

Thirteen members were inducted into the Brotherhood Honor in 1943 at Camp Louis Farr.  This is the first recorded record that we have of members being inducted into this honor in addition to Boy Fly and Harold Harkey being inducted at Camp Fawcett that same summer.

Those inducted at Camp Louis Farr were:

Don Baldwin, Alfred Carthen, Wesley Fox, B. J. Hart, Hardin Jones, Rothnal O’Kelly, Bob Sykes, Clilfford Taylor, Jr., Dick Tucker, Francis Ward, Dwain Dodson, H. S. Guthrie and Paul Ward.
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Meaning of “Wahinkto”

Wahinkto is the Blackfoot word meaning “Arrowpoint.”  The lodge totem was the arrowhead, later changed to the running deer, which is still is today.  The Lodge Number 199 identifies the lodge as the 199th lodge to be chartered by the Order of the Arrow.
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Lodge Totem

The first lodge totem was the arrowhead.  Dr. Jack Wright of Big Lake recalls that when he served as a physician at Camp Louis Farr during the summer of 1942, that each new arrowman was presented with the lodge totem.  It was a white woven plastic lanyard with a flint arrowhead in it. The totem was worn around your neck.

Later, when the running deer was selected by the lodge as the lodge totem, a new lanyard was designed and it is still in use today.  This lodge totem is a piece of deer antler treaded on a leather thong and worn around the neck.  An overhand knot is tied on each side of the antler to hold it in place on the thong.  A second antler is added to the thong for the Brotherhood honor.  When a person receives the Vigil Honor, the thongs are each tied into a simple overhead knot at the end of the thongs.  The deer antler is cut into one inch lengths and a hole is drilled through the center of the piece so that the leather thong may be threaded through it.
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First Lodge Patch

James M. Young, a Vigil member of the lodge, relates the following story about the first patch.

“About 1950, Jim Strother, Ray Hall Beck and I developed the design for the first Wahinkto Lodge (patch).  The arrowhead was chosen because of he many arrowheads found in the vicinity of the Camp Louis Farr dining hall.  The patch was to be placed on a sky blue triangle neckerchief.  The neckerchief was to have a one inch white border.  The patch was not adopted for wear on the uniform.”

The patch was a three inch round patch with a red twill background and had a gold border.  Around the top of the circle were the words “Wahinkto Lodge” with “WWW” around the bottom of the patch.  In the center of the patch was a gold arrowhead with “199” embroidered in blue.  A blue arrow went from left to right behind the arrowhead at an upward angle.

The first lodge patch, designed to be worn on the uniform, was very similar to the current patch. The main difference is that the arrow at the top of the patch pointed to the right instead of the left when looking at the patch.  This was the correct position of the patch at the time in that an arrowman worn his sash over his left shoulder until he became a Brotherhood member, when he would transfer it to the right shoulder.  We are not sure when this patch was made except that it was sometime between 1950 and 1956.  At the time the brown running deer became the totem of the lodge in place of the arrownhead.

In 1957, a second patch was designed and issued.  The arrow was switched to the right in keeping with the new requirements on the sash.  Unfortunately, the name “Wahinkto” was misspelled and they had to issue yet another patch with the correct spelling on it.  Later, another patch was designed with a white deer on it just for Brotherhood members.
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Lodge Neckerchief

J. T. Henderson, in the fifties, designed the lodge neckerchief.  He thought it would be unique to take the lodge name “Wahinkto” and arrange it to look like a deer’s head.  The neckerchief patch is black on red and worn on a white neckerchief.
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Lodge Chapters

The current two chapters of the Wahinkto Lodge and their Indian name are:

Kittan- Great River
Eluwak- Most Power

OA Section Conferences

Wahinkto Lodge has hosted several Section Conclaves over the years.  Here are the ones that we have a record of:

9-D Conference - August 2-4, 1963 at Camp Sol Mayer
9-D Conference - August, 1970 at Camp Sol Mayer
3-B Conclave - August 1-3, 1975 at Angelo State University
3-B Conclave - May 1-3, 1981 at Camp Sol Mayer
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1975 Section 3B
                  Conclave at ASU

Three Have Served as Section Chiefs

Three arrowmen have served as Section Chief from the Wahinkto Lodge.  Steve Joyce, Vigil member of San Angelo, served as Section 3-B Chief in 1976 and was responsible for helping to put together a joint 3-A and 3-B conference held at Baylor University in Waco August 6-9, 1976.  Fifty-one arrowmen from this lodge participated in the weekend along with over 1,000 arrowmen in the combined section conference.  One of the highlights of the weekend was the participation of E. Urner Goodman, founder of the Order of the Arrow, in the activities at Baylor.

Lance Lunsford also served as Section Chief for South Central Region Section 1 in 1995 and 1996.  Both Section Conclaves were held at Sam Houston State University in August.

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Lodge Chiefs

In the beginning of Wahinkto Lodge a Lodge Chief was named for each week of summer camp.  The only activities of the lodge were the induction of new members at the end of each week of summer camp so there was no need for a year-round lodge chief.

There is no known record of the first lodge chiefs of Wahinkto Lodge.  In 1951, when the lodge went to year-round lodge chiefs, their names were recorded on the annual Order of the Arrow Lodge Charter and became a matter of record.  During 1986, the lodge changed its term of office from January 1 through December 31 of each year to September 1 through August 30th.  Thus, you will find, starting with Russell Massey, that their term of office overlapped two years even though they served only for a twelve month term.  The lodge went back to the first of the year starting in 1993.

1941 - Camp Louis Farr - Charles “Chuck” Taylor
1942 - Unknown
1943 - Camp Louis Farr - Wesley Fox (1st week)
            Clifford Taylor, Jr. (2nd week)
1944 - Unknown
1945 - Unknown
1946 - Unknown
1947 - Unknown
1948 - Unknown
1949 - Camp Louis Farr - Bill Marshall
            Camp Fawcett - Homer Gathings
1950 - Unknown
1951 - Ronald Kelso, Brady
1952 - Ronald Kelso, Brady
1953 - Johnny Sheedy, III, Brackettville
1954 - Lionel Galvan, Crystal City
1955 - Michael Kennedy, Uvalde
1956 - Wayne Anderson, Del Rio
1957 - Wayne Anderson, Del Rio
1958 - Gordon McGonsgill, Del Rio
1959 - Gordon McGonsgill, Del Rio
1960 - Dick Wyatt, San Angelo
1961 - Jim Runge, Christoval
1962 - Jim Runge, Christoval
1963 - John Pipkin, San Angelo
1964 - Keith Winslow, Menard
1965 - Randy Holdridge, San Angelo
1966 - Roland Lee Iredale, San Angelo
1967 - John Bob Cody, San Angelo
1968 - Claude Townsend, Ft. Stockton
1969 - David Perry, San Angelo
1970 - Terry Younggren, Ft. Stockton
1971 - Barry Heath, San Angelo
1972 - Barry Heath, San Angelo
1973 - John Kamensky, San Angelo
1974 - Edward J. Trust, Eagle Pass
1975 - Edward Heath, San Angelo
1976 - Steve Evans, Mertzon
1977 - Tom Steckbeck, San Angelo
1978 - Peter Mikel, San Angelo
1979 - Peter Mikel, San Angelo
1980 - Alex Kedziora, San Angelo
1981 - Tony Chambless, San Angelo
1982 - Frankie Sablan, San Angelo
1983 - Frankie Sablan, San Angelo
1984 - Wes Harrell, San Angelo
1985 - James Berger, San Angelo
1986 - Robert Kronenberg, Del Rio
1986 - 87 - Russell Massey, Del Rio
1987 - 88 - Monty Gibson, San Angelo
1988 - 89 - Robert J. Brown, Del Rio
1989 - 90 - Christopher J. Looney, Uvalde
1990 - 91 - William F. Harlow, San Angelo (1/2 year) & Daryl Box, San Angelo (1/2 year)
1991 - Danny Casillas, Del Rio
1992 - Danny Casillas, Del Rio
1993 - David O’Neill, San Angelo
1994 - David O’Neill, San Angelo
1995 - Donnie Lunsford. San Angelo
1996 - Wayne Graham, San Angelo
1997 - Rickey Medina, San Angelo
1998  - Louis Torres, Ft. Stockton
1999 - Roger Lopez
2000 - Luke L. Burnett, San Angelo
2001 - Eric Albert
2002 - Jason M. White, San Angelo
2003 - Adrian Garcia, Del Rio
2004 - Adrian Garcia, Del Rio
2005 - Matt Bignall, San Angelo (1/2 year) & Peter Perez, San Angelo (1/2 year)
2006 - Peter Perez, San Angelo
2007 - Bryan Sablan, San Angelo
2008 - Humberto Torres Jr., Uvalde
2009 - Dustin Foradory, Uvalde
2010 - Dylan DeLaRosa, San Angelo
2011 - Kyle Sharp, San Angelo
2012 - Bob Torres, Uvalde
2013 - Jason Walker
2014 - Health Benjamin Lange 
2015 - Brenden Paradis
2016 - Cameron Paradis
2017 - (First Half) Clay Tate (Second Half) Fabrizio Hernandez
2018 -
Kevin Franke
2019 - Matthew Allen
2020 -2021 Victor Zapata
2022 -
Madison Schwab
2023 -
Zachary Schwab
2024 - Santiago Guerra

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Lodge Advisers

Lodge Advisers are the unsung heroes of the Wahinkto Lodge.  They are responsible, as volunteers, to see that the lodge stayed in the hands of the youth.  But they are also responsible to see that the lodge functions according to the rules of the Order of the Arrow.  Here is a list of the known advisers:

1948 - 49 - Vernon Bucher, Joe Lindle, Leonard Lee (Sponsors of Farr tribe)
1948 - 49 - Homer Gathings, Elmer Fawcett (sponsors of Fawcett tribe)
1960 - 61 - G. Howard BriggsRay Kedziora, Adviser to
                  Lodge 1976-1980
1962 - 70 - Robert C. “Bob” Warner
1971 - 75 - Thomas Rainey
1975 - 76 - Lawrence “Bub” Williams
1976 - 80 - Ray Kedziora
1981 - 82 - Richard Benton
1983 - 84 - Victor Meza, Sr.
1985 - 88 - Lace E. “Gene” Hinnard
1989 - 90 - Roy Douglass and Robert Kennedy (co-advisers)Victor Meza, Jr, Adviser
                  to lodge from 1983-84.
1990 - Robert Kennedy
1991 - Edward Stewart
1992 - Lloyd Deaton
1993 - 1995 - Jim Nennich
1996 - 1998 - Gary Shrum
1999 - Jimmy “Butch” Simpson
2000 - 2001 - Mike Robertson
2002 - 2006 - Jerry White
2007  - Tom McKeel
2007 - 2010 - Bo Strickland
2011- 2012 - Dan Walker
2013 - 2015 - Wayne Graham
2016 - Marshall Perkins
2017 -
Joe Robinette
2018 - 2020 - Brenda White
2020 - 2021 - Andy Brooks
2022 - 2023 - Don Dunbar
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 Vigil Honor

The Vigil Honor is the highest honor that the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon its members for service above self to their lodge and local council.  The first person to receive the Vigil  Honor in the Order of the Arrow was its founder E. Urner Goodman, who received this honor in 1915.

The list of names contain the date that the application was submitted to the Order of the Arrow and not the year they were inducted.

1945 - J. B. Morris, Joseph O. Galbraith, A. H. Bird
1950 - Vernon Bucher
1958 - Marvin Ratliff, Jr.
1959 - J. C. Benson, Bobby Broadway, Jackie Jones, Carl B. Nicholas, Jim Runge, Jimmy Stewart, George Tucker, Harold S. Whiteside, Earl G. Wisdom, Dick Wyatt, Milton R. Wratt, Gilbert H. Wyman, James M. Young
1960 - Paul Hendrix, Lloyd Deaton, Michael Deaton
1961 - Julius Graw, Bobby Neal, John H. Pearson, John Pipkin, Edward E. Qualls, Truett McClung
1962 - Ronnie E. Martin, Carl B. Nicholas, Charles E. Oswalt, III., Gary Spring, Keith Winslow
1963 - Sandy Bartlett, J. T. Henderson, Randy Holdridge, Tommy MeierJohn D. Eberhardt, Victor Meza, Will Allison and
                  Abe Ramirez
1964 - Bobby Elliott, William E. Huddleston, Robert C. Warner
1965 - Barry Haenish, Steward Hawkins, Jr., David Horner, Roland L. Iredale
1966 - John Bob Cody, David Hall, Joe Ray Jones
1967 - Gary Alien, Kirk Hawkins, Richard L. Iredale, David Perry, Scott Slaughter, Homer A. Smith, Claude R. Townsend
1968 - Ronnie Allen, Bill Carlson, John K.Finegan, Clouis Hansen, Vincent C. Hobbs, Andy Johnson, Eddie Palmer
1969 - Tommy F. McSwain, Dow E. Palmer,Terry Younggren
1970 - Elton T. Calk, Jr., Robert H. Haines, Peter Juve
1971 - Richard Benton, Lace E. Hinnard, Barry Health, Peter Maldonado, Russell Tidwell, Edward J. Trust
1972 - Edward Heath, James B. Heath, Gary Sohn
1973 - Perry Jewell, Steve Joyce, Jesse McAnally, Dean Paret, Cyril A. Trust, Sr.
1974 - Tommy Heath, Robert J. Kamensky, Jack McCarley, Frank Perkins, Robert Singer
1975 - Craig Bessent, Wilson Hill, Jr., Ronnie McAnally,  J. B. Ward, Lewis H. WhiteNew Vigils James
                  Strickland, Rodney J. Bear Kuhlman, Alex Kedziora,
                  Pete Mikel and John Campbell
1976 - None
1977 - Ray Kedziora, Thomas Valdez
1978 - John Campbell, Bill Dillahunty, Alex Kedziora, Rodney D. Kuhlmann, Peter Mikel, Tom Steckbeck, James Strickland
1979 - None
1980 - Will Allison, John D. Eberhardt, Victor Meza, Sr., Abe  H. Ramirez, Karl A. Wiedenfeld
1981 - Walter Campbell, Brad L. Newton
1982 - Tony Chambless, Victor Meza, Jr., Frankie Sablan, Ken Sablan
1983 - K. Wynn Alston, Russell Cooke, Sammy Sablan
1984 - James Berger, Armando DeLeon, Mike Fanning, Chris A. Johnson, Timothy F. Johnson, Roy Moore, Gene Wilton, Jr
1985 - John A. Herrera, James Kimbrel, Robert Kronenberg, Aaron Miles, Randy A. Schreiber, Terry Williams
1986 - Weldon L. Blackard, Mike Gillenwaer, Russell E. Massey, Bill Ruth
1987 - Robert Fierro, Jr., Monty Gibson, Paul Hendricks, John R. Massey, Jonathan Turnbow, Wes Wolfe, III
1988 - Chris Looney, Alex Mata, J. M. "Bill" Rowley, Gary Schreiber, Dan Stim
1989 - Jason Aley, Robert J. Brown, Danny Casillas, Brent Smith, Jeffrey Williams
1990 - Lane Hughes, Robert Kennedy, James Nennich, Jason Williams
1991 - Ramon R. Castro, Jr., Benny L. Dougherty, Harry T. Eckert, Darin  L. Smith, Grant H. Irons
1992 - Drew Hubbard, Daryl Box, Ramon Castro, Sr., Edward Goebel, Federico Medina, Jr.
1993 - David O’Neill, Maxie Peabody, Billy R. Sellman, Roberts S. Williams, Jr., Terry M. Younggren
1994 - Americo Isreal Garcia, Orlando Flores, Mike Wallace, Albert “Willie” Williams
1995 - A. Carl Cummins Evve Kuykendall, Donnie Lee Lunsford, Maria Medina
1996 - Andy Brooks, Richard W. Graham, Raymond J. Leftwich, Federico Medina, III, William Mechler, Jimmy E. “Butch” Simpson, Jr.
1997 - Robert M. Burnett, Richard  G. O’Neill, Louis Torres, Jim Lay, Sam Elk Shimp, II., Gary Shrum
1998 - Robby Archer, Ruby Deaton, Ted Hogan, Jay Medina, Chris Shrum
1999 - Luke Burnett, Don Cheek, Elwin Hahn, Bradley Jones, Brian Simpson
2000 - Jonathan Kilgore, Brian Sturm, Mark Wyatt
2001 - Steven Daniels, Jason White, Ron Gabriel, Jerry White
2002 - None
2003 - Adrian J. Garcia, Matthew J. Huro, Cody R. Scott,  Matthew S. Vercher
2004 - Nathan Calk, Andrew Garcia, Bill Karmany, Jakob McKeel, Mike Mitchell
2005 - Tom McKeel, Kyle Scott
2006 - Kyle Scott
2007 - Anthony Kieffer, Peter Perez, Mathew Smart
2008 - Sarabeth Erickson, Barry Hendler, Connor McKeel, Humberto Torres, Sr.
2009 - Patricio Ramos, Humberto Torres, Jr.., Eric T. Wheeler, Dustin Foradory, Lawson Kemp
2010 - Holland Cogdell, Rene Mancha, David Cogdell, Laura Foradory
2011 - Brandy Williams, Kyle Sharp
2012 - Harold Sharp, Murray Kachel, Michael Steal,  Bob Torres, Jason Young
2013 - Dillon Silvia, Danny Herrera, Joe Robinette, Joe Will Ross, Ricardo Maldonado
2014 -
Brenda White, David Kemp, Will Cogdell, D,J. Simpson, John Martinez
2015 -
Dathan Simpson, Don Bucholz, Steven Goff, Will Cantu, Elijah Sharp, Jonathan Carter
2016 -
Jack Townsend, Brenden Brenden Paradis, Cameron Paradis, Diane Townsend and Jeff Isenberg
2017 - None
2018 - Carl C. Frentz,
Jesse Frank White
2019 - Roger D. Ridley
2020 - None
2021 - None
2022 - None
2023 -
Kevin Franke
2024 - Randy Davis, Madison Schwab

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Founder’s Award

The Founder’s Award was created by the Order of the Arrow to honor and recognize those Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to the Lodge.  The bronze medallion bearing the likeness of E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson is reserved for an Arrowman who demonstrates to his fellow Arrowman that he memorializes in his everyday life the spirit of achievement as described by our founder.

The award was first presented to David O’Neill  and Lloyd Deaton on October 17, 1994.
1999 -Robert Burnett
2004 - Jerry White and Adrian Garcia
2005 - Peter Perez
2006 - Bryan Sablan and Humberto Torres Sr.
2008 - Humberto Torres, Jr. and Butch E Simpson
2011 -  Murry Melvin Kachel, Robert Torres
2012 - Elijah "Wes" Sharp, Wynn Alston
2015 - Mike Wallace
2024 - Bill Houston

Leadership in Service Award

In recognition of the Order of the Arrow's heritage of service, the National Order of the Arrow Committee created a new three-year Leadership in Service Program which was announced at the 2004 NOAC. The Order strives to strengthen Scouting's foundation of service by further fostering in Arrowmen the ethic of servant leadership. 

By promoting and rewarding service that benefits the Boy Scouts of America's outdoor program, and the communities in which Scouts reside, the Order will be acting to support Scouting at the most important level.  Requirements for the award can be met during the calendar years of 2005, 2006, and 2007. 

The "Leadership in Service Award" was first presented for 2005 at the HEB Winter Fellowship Camp in January 2006.  Those receiving the award were:

2005 -   Raymond Affleck, Chris Calk, Nathan Calk, Jared Ducote, Jeremy Graue, Matt Huro, Chris Johnson, David Kemp, Lawson Kemp, Tom McKeel, Peter Perez, Matthew Smart, Humberto Torres, Jr., Humberto Torres, Sr., & Dan Walker.
2006 -  Lawson Kemp, Connor McKeel, Tom McKeel, Peter Perez, Pat Ramos, Bryan Sablan, Steve Silvia, Humberto Torres, Jr., Humberto Torres Sr., & Marcus Zamorra
2007 -  Chris Calk, Nathan Calk, Dustin Foradory, Laura Foradory, David Kemp, Lawson Kemp, Connor McKeel, Tom McKeel, Peter Perez, Pat Ramos, Maria Ramos, Bryan Sablan, George Silva, Steve Silva, Mat Smart, Humberto Torres Sr., Huberto Torres Jr., Jason White, Jerry White, & Mark Zamorra

Distinguish Service Award

Edward J. Trust, Lodge Chief of Wahinkto Lodge in 1974, was presented the Distinguished Service Award during ceremonies at the National Order of the Arrow Conference held at For Collins, Colorado in August 1979.  Trust, an Eagle Scout, graduated from Angelo State University and was serving as a 1st Lt. In the United States Air Force, stationed in Denver. Colorado. While in Concho Valley Council, he was active on both a Section and National level in the Order of the Arrow, serving mostly on the Shows Committee.

The national OA Committee presents the Distinguished Service Award to those Arrowmen who had rendered outstanding service to the Order on a section, area, regional or national level.  It is given primarily for dedicated service to the Order and Scouting over a period of years.  It is the only award in Scouting that is presented to youth members, adult volunteers and professional Scouters.

The Award was present to Frank T. Hilton, in 1983 Program Director.  It was presented for him  having served as OA Section Staff Adviser in Sections 9-B, 3-B and IV for many years.  He served as Lodge Staff Adviser for the Tonkawa Lodge and Tejas Lodge prior to moving to Concho Valley Council in 1974,  In this Lodge, he served as Staff Adviser for the Wahinkto Lodge from 1974 through 1987, and again from 1989 through 1990.  Upon becoming the Scout Executive in Comanche Trail Council, Brownwood, he served as Staff Adviser of the Otena Lodge from 1991 until his retirement from professional Scouting in January 1997.

Sammy Sablan, Frankie
                  Sablan, Wes Harrell and Mike Fanning

Curtis B. Dyer Award

The Wahinkto Lodge had tied with Karankawa Lodge for the Curtis B. Dyer Award in 1968, but on May 3, 1981, Sammy Sablan, Frankie Sablan, Wes Harrell and Mike Fanning brought home the Award, having earned it outright.  The lodge worn it two more times, the last time during competition held at the OA Section IV Conclave at Shepherd AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas, and retired the trophy.  This was the year the Section changed.  During this time in  the lodge history, the youth were very interested in Indian dancing and in Section Conclave competition.

James E. West Award 

The James E. West Award was established by the Boy Scouts of America to recognize a special financial commitment to
Scouting in the form of a $1,000 donation to the Council Endowment Fund. The award is named after the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. Wahinkto Lodge honored its first Arrowman at their 2007 lodge banquet for his unselfish devotion to the welfare of others through their special service, special achievement and their long standing commitment to the Order of the Arrow by sponsoring a James E. West Award in his name. 

2006 - Jerry White
2010 - Kyle Sharp
2011 - Wynn Alston
2018 - Barbara Jones

Service Projects

The Lodge continues to do service projects at both Camp Sol Mayer and Camp Fawcett as well as help out at Cub events, camporees and other council activities.

Go HERE to view the Wahinkto Lodge Facebook page.



Last Updated:  February 2, 2024
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